Levinson
Jewish occupational surname referring to a descendant of the Levites, a tribe of religious officials in ancient Israel.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,964 Americans carry the last name Levinson. That puts it at #6,579 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.74 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 57,471 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Levinson surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
6.0K
1 in 57,471
Census rank
#6,579
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
5.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 5,147 bearers of the surname Levinson in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.74 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 6579th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Levinson, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.6%) and Black (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Levinson
The surname Levinson is of Jewish origin, derived from the Hebrew male given name Levi, which means "attached" or "joined." The name is believed to have originated in medieval Germany, specifically in the Rhineland region, where many Jewish communities were established during the Middle Ages.
The earliest known record of the Levinson surname dates back to the late 13th century in the city of Mainz, where a man named Moses ben Levi (Moses son of Levi) was documented in a legal document. Over time, the patronymic "ben Levi" evolved into the surname Levinson, indicating a direct lineage from the biblical figure Levi.
One of the earliest notable individuals with the Levinson surname was Rabbi Judah ben Eliezer Levinson (c. 1520-1585), a prominent Talmudic scholar and kabbalist who lived in Krakow, Poland. He was known for his work "Sefer ha-Mikhtam," which explored mystical interpretations of the Torah.
In the 17th century, the Levinson family spread across Europe, with members settling in various communities. One notable figure was Rabbi Yair Hayyim Bacharach Levinson (1638-1702), a renowned rabbinical authority who served as the Chief Rabbi of Worms, Germany.
Another famous Levinson was Isaac Levinson (1688-1756), a Dutch-Jewish poet, and playwright who wrote in both Hebrew and Dutch. His works, such as "Bikkurei ha-Ittim" and "Mas'at Binyamin," explored Jewish themes and experiences in the Netherlands.
In the 19th century, the Levinson surname gained prominence in the United States with the arrival of Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe. One notable figure was Salmon P. Levinson (1865-1944), a prominent lawyer and philanthropist who served as the president of the Chicago Board of Education and played a significant role in the development of Jewish education in the city.
Throughout history, the Levinson surname has been associated with various place names, including Levinsohn, Levinsonn, and Lewinson, reflecting regional variations and spelling variations over time. However, the core meaning and origin of the name have remained rooted in its Jewish heritage and the biblical figure of Levi.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Levinson
Among Census respondents with the surname Levinson, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.6%) and Black (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Levinson bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Levinson surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.8%
- Hispanic or Latino2.6%
- Black or African American0.9%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8%
- Two or more races0.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Levinson surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #5,858 | #6,579 | -12.3% |
| Count | 5,415 | 5,147 | -4.9% |
| Per 100K | 2.01 | 1.74 | -13.4% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Levinson bearers went from 5,415 to 5,147 (-4.9% change). The surname moved down 721 positions in the national ranking, going from #5,858 to #6,579.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Levinson
FAQ
Levinson surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Levinson?
The surname Levinson holds position #6,579 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 5,964 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 1.74 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Levinson surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Levinson, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.6%) and Black (0.9%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.